Containers are normally fitted with closure caps which are frequently molded plastic cap members. There are many examples of molded closures equipped with dispensing tops, including, for example, devices where a portion of the end piece or top of the dispensing cap is pivotable from a closed position to an open spoon dispensing position. The pivoting top is often difficult to work with because, after initially being opened, it is difficult to close and/or reopen. Another problem is that the pivoting top, when open, often tends to wave back and forth and thus obstruct the flow of the container contents being dispensed.
More recently, plastic material containers have been used which include tear away portions of the container, and such tear away portions may include both a portion of the side wall of the container and a portion of the top wall of the container. The tear away portions are frequently not desireable because, once opened, the containers may not thereafter adequately protect the remaining contents from environmental conditions such as moisture.
Foster U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,250 discloses a plastic closure cap which holds its pivotable flap in the closed position and provides a visual indication as to whether the product has been opened prior to purchase by a consumer. After an initial opening of the container, the pivotable flap may be releasably held in a closed position by lugs which engage the edge of an opening. Similarly, Kozlowski et. al U.S Pat. No. 4,714,181 discloses a condiment bottle cap including a pivotable lid having a plurality of spaced flanges on the underside of the lid adapted to engage an edge of the hole opening with either an interference or friction fit. The disclosed caps do not include resilient means on their skirts to securely retain the flap in the closed position. In addition, neither patent provides means for retaining the flap in the open dispensing position.
Thus, a closure is not heretofore known which can readily and easily be opened and closed and which can be securely locked either in the closed or open dispensing position. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a spooning closure having a hinged top which improves upon the prior art and which can readily be pivoted between a locked closed position and a locked dispensing position.
It is a further object to provide the above container closure cap with a reinforcing web which adds to the useful life of the closure cap and provides a means for securely locking the lid in a closed position.